Vera "Sanh" Evenfeld
Vera Evenfeld, more commonly known Sanh, is an immortal human mage. Though born originally in the Second Era, Sanh achieved immortality through an ancient spell and lived through centuries of Phallica history. Sanh is the most powerful mage in Phallica, but she hides her identity due to her notoriety under various aliases and criminal status in some countries. She works to maintain stability in Phallica, though her morality and ethics can fluctuate based on her temper and what the greater good demands. Personality Over her 609 year life span, Sanh's personality has changed dramatically, most notably after the events of the Great War. Before the Great War, Sanh was described as intellectual but very literal and oftentimes cold. Sanh was gifted with a photographic memory, and as a result, she very quickly picked up new skills and memorized spells. She took her work very seriously, and she was not known for being particularly humorous. Perfection and quality were important to her, so her every move was calculated and precise. Her focus was primarily on herself, so it was rare for Sanh to put others' safety and well-being above her own. This does not mean she never performed acts of kindness; However, they often had some benefit to Sanh or came at no cost to her. Sanh relished challenge and subsequent success, and she would go to extreme lengths to ensure her victory. When faced with difficult circumstances, Sanh refused to give up if there was still any chance. Sometimes her ambitions caught up to her though, and Sanh would find she bit off more than she could chew. Despite all of her successes and accomplishments, Sanh maintained a sense of humility. Sanh frequently told her peers she was nothing special; her skills were not natural but the result of "hard work and dedication" (to which her friends quietly disagreed). Though Sanh had a great deal of patience, she was prone to angry outbursts if frustrated or provoked enough. Sanh's photographic memory combined with her competitive edge and intelligence made her very accustomed to success, so losing (and having the loss rubbed in her face) was sure to incite her wrath. She held unbreakable grudges against those who wronged her, and she was happy to get whatever means of payback she could, petty or grand. Sanh's social skills were certainly less refined than her magical capabilities. She rarely kept friends of any sort, as most of her interactions were strictly business. Her occasional attempts at jokes were quite dry, and laughter was an extremely rare occurrence. Though Sanh's peers admired her determination and skill, they felt she was distant. She would be noticeably absent at mage social functions, forgoing conversation for more learning and practice. She would laugh at jokes, smile towards those she admired, but she seemed reserved, almost unwilling to show true feelings. Sanh radically shifted personalities after the events of the Great War and her self-induced isolation. She became far more eccentric, finding joy in the ridiculous and silly. Whenever a problem presents itself, Sanh always plans as she goes, giving little thought ahead to her actions. She uses her magic to amuse herself or others, rather than simply a weapon. Her sense of altruism surfaced, and Sanh found herself trying to help the weak and suffering as often as possible. Her spontaneity verges on madness sometimes, her actions generally perplexing or seemingly impulsive. Despite her exterior, Sanh's personality shift is not all positive. Her memory seems to be lacking, as she struggles to recall the wealth of information she committed centuries to learning. Centuries of loss and disappointment cause Sanh to sometimes fall into bouts of silent reflection, sometimes even grief or sadness. She refuses to so much as touch on certain topics, and she quickly gets angry at anyone who presses her on the matter. One part of Sanh never changes despite time: her love for her friends. Sanh cares deeply about those she calls her friend, going out of her way to help them and ensure their safety and happiness. Though Sanh often maintains a hard shell, the people she opens up to remember her fondly. Her loyalty (to those she deems worthy of it) is unmatched; she will travel to the ends of Phallica for those she is close to. Appearance Similar to her personality, Sanh's appearance changed across time periods. Prior to her realization of her immortality, Sanh kept her vibrant red hair barely at shoulder length. The hood of her robe was almost always pulled up, hiding calculating grey eyes beneath it. Her standard attire was no different from other mages, keeping in line with her humility. Despite her official demeanor, she consistently wore sandals, regardless of the occasion. After Sanh realized her inability to die, she allowed her hair to grow far longer, stretching far past her shoulders and waving wildly. Sanh always wore a indistinct, plain brown robe with the hood down unless she were trying to act covertly. For reasons unknown, Sanh only travels barefoot regardless of terrain or movement distance. Early Life Vera Evenfeld was born on a farmstead to the northeast of Miami, Florida. Both of her parents were traditional farmers, and they had a strong distaste for magic, despite Vera's grandmother being a retired mage. As Sanh grew older, it became clear to her parents that Vera had a photographic memory. At a young a age, Vera showed signs of magic potential, but her mother and father refused to harbor her skill. When Vera would visit her grandmother, she would teach Vera magic in secret. She believed magic was a gift that needed to be trained correctly instead of hidden away. However, when Vera was caught practicing spellcasting in her room, she was forbidden from practicing magic and seeing her grandmother again. At 13 years old, Vera decided nothing was going to stop her from becoming the greatest mage in the world. She ran away from home and sought refuge with her grandmother, who redirected Vera to an old mage in Miami who would be willing to take an acolyte. For the next 4 years, she learned the proper ins and outs of magic and how to be a mage. Her master noted how quickly she caught on to everything, and he knew she had enormous potential to become an extremely powerful mage in time. Vera was sent to the famous Mage's College of Miami at 17, where she met Saren Alburn, one of greatest mages in the college. The two disliked each other at first; Alburn thought Vera lacked discipline, and she thought Alburn was simply a dick. He looked down on her farmstead upbringing, and he thought she lacked the control to properly handle high level magic. Alburn claimed Vera had to pass some personal "tests" to prove she could be worthy enough to be his assistant. Vera hated the notion that being alongside this man was an honor, but she knew he was her best shot at becoming an accomplished mage, so she sucked up her fury and set out to prove him wrong. Alburn crafted a series of utterly mundane and time consuming tests, mostly designed to frustrate Vera enough that she would cease trying to be his assistant. He would ask her to go on coffee runs for the other mages, saying it taught her "social etiquette"; he once had her translate a several thousand page book to an archaic language for "research purposes." Alburn expected her to get angry and give up, but he was surprised to find Vera would relentlessly pursue his mundane tasks and complete them perfectly. Though he could tell her determination was partially fueled by a desire to spite him, he found her perfectionism and conviction promising. After weeks of exhausting tasks, Alburn said he would take on Vera as his assistant, saying they had a similar desire to pursue the secrets of magic. Vera could sense Alburn also wanted someone to pass his legacy on to, and though there was little she admired about the man, she could not pass up the opportunity and accepted. Vera became a regular student at the College, enrolled in various classes during the day while conducting studies and research with Alburn at night. Most of her existence was consumed by her studies, but she loved every second of it. Vera's dream was having access to the resources of the college and the freedom to learn as she pleased. Sanh generally ignored other students, instead focusing on her work and speaking only to older mages with some knowledge to impart upon her. One of Vera's only friends was a young, talkative mage named Frand Stilch. Frand similarly came from a family of farmers, though they were more accepting of magic than hers. Noting her proficiency in every class, he turned to Vera for help in classes he struggled in. At first, Vera denied his request, saying he ought to put in more effort and learn himself. His look of utter disappointment conjured some sense of pity, and Vera reluctantly agreed to help him. Vera would help Frand grind information for exams, and she would guide him through various spellcasts. Frand notices over time that she seemed to enjoy their study sessions; perhaps she enjoyed playing the role of the instructor. He thought about how he had nothing to give in return, but he did notice the one thing Vera severely lacked was friends. Frand would take her out around town and introduce her to other mages and students. Though Vera was quiet and odd at first, she began to warm up to Frand and his friends. Vera became close friends with Frand, taking time out of her once rigid studies to enjoy the company of him and his friends. Duel On one occasion, a particularly unruly, large nosed student named Dradle Malgoy was harassing Vera in the College library. The Malgoy was a member of a long lineage of mages, and he made sure that Vera and everyone around him never forget that. Fed up with his accusations of muddied heritage, Vera hastily challenged him to a duel in a week. The arrogant mage accepted, certain a novice like Vera could not stand up to him. A fuming Vera sought advice from Alburn, who called her a hotheaded idiot for challenging someone to a duel when she has had no combat experience. Nonetheless, he saw it as another opportunity to impart knowledge on Vera, and Alburn shifted their research nights into combat training. The next few days flew by for Vera as she endured every magic missile, lightning blast, and firebolt. Alburn marveled at her ability to keep firing off spells despite pain and damage, but he noticed a change in Sanh when she fought. Her usual carefulness was replaced with seemingly reckless abandon in combat, and she would make dangerous, close maneuvers that would often work in her favor. Alburn tried to get her to be more reserved in combat, but he decided that her aggressive, mobile style may take her opponent by surprise. Seven days later, Alburn watched their duel in the College courtyard alongside dozens of spectators. Alburn knew Vera could not stand up to Malgoi. Her fight was relatively short; her relentless close quarters attacks made sure both her and Malgoi took plenty of damage. A bloodied and exhausted Vera missed a duel-ending attack at close range, and she took the full force of a spell without dodging. Vera was nearly killed, knocked unconscious to the floor. While a bleeding and charred Malgoi gloated about victory over the "dumb farmer girl," Alburn departed without a word, embarassed by his assistant's failure but quietly impressed she nearly won. Vera woke up hours later in a Phoctor's office, bandaged and livid at only herself. Frand, who took her there in the first place, assured her that she fought well and nearly won, but Vera merely pouted. Vera endured plenty of mockery at the College, and Alburn could sense her fury and sadness. "It was a stupid idea to begin with," he said, hiding his admiration of her performance for fear of encouraging a rematch. Other students noticed Vera's absence in many of her classes, assuming she was too ashamed to show up to class. Weeks went by with only occasional appearances, and her friends became concerned when she no longer attended their nights out. They had no idea Vera was spending her nights in a cave outside Miami, blasting apart stones and scorching walls until she collapsed from exhaustion. Vera began showing up in class one month later; when asked about her absence, she simply said she was ill. After class, Vera approached Dradle Malgoi once more, demanding a rematch to their duel. Malgoi refused at first, laughing off her proposition and saying she will only fail again. She says if he wins, she will drop out of the College and give up on her prospects of becoming a mage. Malgoi agrees, and they held their duel the next day. Alburn caught wind of it, and, worried he would lose his assistant, tried to convince her to stop her revenge duel. Vera assured him she would not lose this time, and the following battle favored Vera the entire time. She dodged attack after attack, all while mocking Malgoi to rile him up. Vera launched into an aggressive attack, catching Malgoi off guard and tossing him around with magic. Malgoi was down for the count shortly after, beaten into submission with little damage to Vera. Despite the battle being won, Vera, caught in the moment and wrapped in fury, prepared a chain lightning spell to kill him. Just as she was about to bring it down on Malgoi's head, Alburn halted her attack and got between them. He dragged Vera out of the courtyard, later laying into her for nearly killing another student and succumbing to anger. He forbade Vera from participating in any more duels, and he told her to never speak of the incident again. When Vera returned to class, the students kept their distance from the "crazy girl." Only Frand and her other friends stayed by her, but she could tell they were quietly disturbed by her duel. Vera was bothered by her own display of anger and carelessness, but in time, the incident was forgotten by the College and her friends. Still, Vera never forgot the rush she felt when she was about to rip Malgoi apart. Death Three years passed while Vera trained under Alburn. Though their relationship never grew past student and teacher, Vera was growing in knowledge and power, and Alburn could tell Vera may even rival him in skill. Vera never realized this; she had little concept of her strength, and her constant desire to better herself clouded any perception of her ability. Alburn felt some slight bitterness; no student ought to surpass their master... Vera received an urgent summons from Alburn one day, specifying they meet in secret. Upon her arrival, Alburn explained he caught wind of an untouched Old Ones ruin located in Florida. The duo took "field research leave" from the college, hastily packing their things and leaving under the cover of the night. Although Alburn never gave her the exact location of the ruins, Vera easily memorized the path there. When they arrived, Vera was amazed to find a nondescript cave entrance. Heading further inside, they eventually discovered ornately carved walls and a hidden door. Inside lied a sprawling Old Ones ruins, filled to the brim with untouched artifacts, documents, and scrolls. The two excitedly went to work, exploring every nook and cranny to gather up as much information as possible. They slept inside the ruins, only heading out into the light of day to retrieve food and water. Two weeks pass, and although they were drowning in texts and newly discovered information, Vera noticed Alburn seems disappointed, as though he was wishing for something more. One day, Vera was translating Old Ones scrolls when she found a particular incantation she did not believe. After bringing it to Alburn, he was similarly stunned; the scroll described the incantation and ritual for a spell that granted immortality. Though Vera was skeptical at first, Alburn was keen on trying to cast it. Alburn noted the spell required far more skill and precision than anything he ever encountered, but he was thrilled with the possibility of truly shedding mortality. The ritual required extremely rare materials, and Alburn told Vera to drop all of their research to focus on the spell. Two months went by while the two traveled Phallica in search of the many obscure ingredients required for the spell. They killed rare beasts, bargained with black market dealers, and traveled to the ends of Phallica for what was needed. As time went on, Vera saw a rising obsession in Alburn; she never saw the man put so much effort into anything. He would grow furious at any delay to their quest, and though it bothered Vera, she shrugged it off as healthy enthusiasm. After the completion of two arduous months, the pair of mages had all the ingredients they needed. They spent the entire day preparing for spell, assembling the ingredients, drawing transmutation circles, and ensuring the pronunciation of the incantation. Vera acted as the assistant, keeping tabs on all the facets of spellcasting so Alburn could cast the spell smoothly. When the time came to finally cast the spell at night, Vera was uncharacteristically nervous, but Alburn was almost quivering with excitement. Vera watched from a distance in their research room as Alburn began the incantation. Although he started off strong, his concentration began to waver, and the spell broke. Alburn attempted to cast the spell multiple times, and he grew increasingly angry with each failure. Finally, Alburn had enough after nearly an hour, and he told Vera to rest for another attempt tomorrow while he stormed out of the room. Vera found it particularly difficult to sleep that night. She knew Alburn was a capable mage -- perhaps the spell truly was too difficult to cast -- but she could not help but wonder if she could do better. Her ambition got the better of her, and Vera crept out of her room back to the casting circle. She spoke the incantation from memory, closing her eyes to concentrate her hardest. Though Vera failed initially, she kept trying, focusing all of her being into maintaining the spell. Each iteration she got closer to completing it, and her determination and excitement pushed her forward. Dozens of tries later, Vera nearly completed the incantation when she heard the door to the research room open. She opened her eyes to find Alburn, with a look of hate and jealousy so pure that it terrified her. Without saying a word to Vera, Alburn cast disintegrate, blowing a hole through Vera's chest and interrupting her spell cast. Vera collapsed to the floor, rapidly dying from blood loss and drowning in her own fluids. In the last moments of her life, Vera watched Alburn hastily gather up all the notes and scrolls they collected. With one last look of disdain, Alburn sealed the room, and Vera breathed her last. She died unfulfilled in her quest to become the greatest mage who ever lived, cut short by a jealous man. Vera suddenly awoke naked in the same dark room, lying confused in the center of the ritual circle. She found her crumpled clothes beneath her, filled with a pale blue ash unfamiliar to her. She distinctly remembered dying in this room; she could even see the pool of blood where she waited for death. Alburn's spell was definitely lethal, yet she awoke without a scratch on her body (though she found it odd she was naked). The room was exactly as it had been when she had died, and the exit still blocked by debris. Unconvinced this was anything but the afterlife, Vera cleaned her clothes of dust and was pleased to learn she could still cast magic as she blasted her way out of the room. She found the ruins as just as she remembered them, but now noticeably missing any sign of her and Alburn's research or presence. Vera's fury grew the more she thought about Alburn's betrayal; if this afterlife included anything resembling him, she would be sure to obliterate it. Vera left the ruins and was met with blinding daylight. The Florida landscape seemed about correct to her; nothing seemed unusual about the sky or Sun. Vera wondered if this truly was the afterlife, or it was mundane and utterly identical to Phallica. Nonetheless, she rationalized her best bet was to return to Miami, where hopefully she could use the familiar to learn more about her current situation. She had to visit the only person she could trust: Frand. After walking through the gates of Miami, Vera found it just as she had left it. She read the local newspaper, stunned to find it dated six days after her last night with Alburn. Her mind racing, Vera rushed to Frand's home. When he opened his door, Frand was overwhelmed with joy at seeing her. He explained to Vera that he thought she was dead; Alburn had informed the college that she had died while conducting field research, and her body was unrecoverable. Vera, now convinced she somehow avoided death, tells him the story of Alburn's betrayal and their research, saying he attempted to kill her and steal away their work. Vera swears she will take revenge on him, using her alleged death as cover for moving unnoticed. Frand protests, saying she ought to start a new life elsewhere, but Vera says Alburn needs to die since a man as corrupt as him should not be allowed to achieve immortality. In reality, all Vera ever wanted was to watch her former master die before her. Vera spent the next day tailing Alburn unnoticed until she located his home at night. She broke into his home unseen, confronting Alburn in his study. Alburn did not believe what he saw; he told Vera she should have died back in the ruins. She asked why he tried to kill her; Alburn simply says his apprentice, much less Vera, should have the power of immortality. Certain that he was beyond redemption and too furious to change her mind, Vera attacked Alburn. The two engaged in a brief but spectacular mage battle, tearing apart his home and setting it ablaze. Despite Alburn's decades of experience and skill, Vera's angry passion combined with her desperate onslaught of attacks bested Alburn's raw power. A heavily injured Vera stood over a dying Alburn, and as he tried to plead for his life, she turned walked gathered their notes. She hastily read and memorized all of their work before tossing it into the fires burning around them. As Alburn looked upon her with a final request for mercy, Vera turned his skull to ash. She walked away as the home burned down, and, though it bothered her at first, Vera relished the rush and satisfaction she felt from killing Alburn as he begged for his life. Immortality Vera returned to Frand that same night, and she informed him Alburn was dead. Though disturbed that Vera killed her master, Frand rationalized that if Alburn ever found her, nothing would stop him from trying to kill her again. He told Vera now that she was officially a dead woman, she was free to do as she wanted. Vera thanked Frand for his friendship and promised they will keep in touch before departing in the night. Vera spent the next decade traveling around Phallica under a fake name, further expanding her magical knowledge and growing in power. Though her ambitions were never truly satisfied, she enjoyed seeing the world and discovering its secrets. Vera met a great deal of new friends, learned a host of spells, and expanded her skills in every direction. Her observers noted she was on track to become a Guildmaster if she so desired; perhaps even an Archmage in years to come. Despite pressures to pursue leadership roles, Vera opted to continue her personal growth in pursuit of her dream: becoming the most powerful mage in the world. As her quest continued, Vera never forgot about Frand. She never forgot to write stories of her adventures to Frand, who graduated from the Miami Mage's College and now taught new students. After every adventure, she longed to tell Frand what new dungeon she explored or wild spell she learned. If she were to ever pass through Miami, she made sure to visit Frand without fail. Though Frand did not know it, he was the only one that Vera called a friend and wrote letters to. At 30 years old, Vera was amazed at how she never truly felt the effects of time. Her peers commented on her timeless appearance, looking a decade younger than her true age. She fought with the same velocity and fluidity, only growing stronger and faster with time rather than degrading. Keeping true to her humility, Vera chalked it up to good genetics, even though nobody in her family seemed to share the same youthful look. A day came when Vera was exploring an ancient and dangerous dungeon with Gnome mages in the Fields of Stayne. When a gnome mistakenly triggered a trap, Vera had no time to escape. She was skewered by mechanical spears and died instantly. The gnomes watched in horror, followed by curiosity as Vera's body turned to pale blue ash in front of their eyes. Word of her death quickly spread around Phallica, and Frand was terribly distraught to learn his friend had truly died. Despite his grief, Frand felt a slight bit of hope; if Vera could survive death once, she could do it again. Vera awoke naked in a dark and cold room. The last thing she remembered was incredible fury towards a gnome, followed by a great deal of spikes launching towards her. Vera sat up in what she perceived truly was the afterlife, distraught that even after she survived death, her dream went unfulfilled. She magically cast light across her surroundings and was terribly confused and suspicious. She sat in the same room where Alburn tried to kill her, and it was just as she left it a decade ago. She quickly ran through the possibilities in her head; time travel was impossible. Perhaps this truly was the afterlife like she thought last time. She noticed the lack of debris sealing the door; why would it have changed this time? She explored the ruins, finding a decade's worth of dust on every surface. She found an old robe left in her room from when she studied with Alburn, and Vera made her way towards Miami. Upon reaching Frand's door in the middle of the night, she hastily pounded upon it. Just as Frand opened it and before he even realized it was her, Vera asked him what day it was. Frand, in shock, quickly blurted out that the date; it was eight days after Vera died in the Fields of Stayne. After taking a moment to process it, Vera collapsed into a still stunned Frand's arms, crying tears of joy. Unless the afterlife was a cruel recreation of the real world, she realized she had actually done what she wanted over a decade ago. Vera achieved immortality. The Red Witch Voryndyl Farenfold The Great War Isolation Return